#128: Brutally Murdered
Prominent journalist killed in southern Kyrgyzstan
Committee to Protect Journalists
New York, October 24, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns today’s murder in southern Kyrgyzstan of Alisher Saipov, editor of the independent Uzbek-language weekly Siyosat (Politics) and contributor to several regional news outlets. Saipov was shot three times at a close range at around 7 p.m. in downtown Osh, a city bordering Uzbekistan, by an unknown gunman using a silencer, according to CPJ sources in the region. He died at the scene.
Saipov, 26, covered Uzbekistan’s political and social issues for Radio Free Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Voice of America, and the Central Asia news Web site Ferghana. He had interviewed members of the banned Islamic groups Hizb-ut Tahrir and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, according to local CPJ sources. Exiled opposition activist Shakhida Yakub, who was close to Saipov, told The Associated Press that the journalist had recently become politically involved with Uzbek opposition groups.
“We are shocked and saddened by the brutal murder of Alisher Saipov and send our condolences to his family and friends,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “Saipov reported extensively on repression in neighboring Uzbekistan and criticized Uzbek President Islam Karimov. The authorities in Kyrgyzstan must now launch a thorough and timely investigation into our colleague’s murder and bring those responsible to justice.”
An ethnic Uzbek, Saipov lived in and reported from the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh, just across the border from the Uzbek city of Andijan. Saipov covered the aftermath of mass killings in Andijan in May 2005, when government troops shot at crowds of civilians protesting Karimov’s regime. He reported on Uzbek refugees who fled and resettled in Kyrgyzstan. The Uzbek government put the Andijan death toll at 187; human rights groups say more than 700 were killed.
Prior to his murder, Saipov had received anonymous threats warning him to stop his press and political activities, a local source close to the journalist told CPJ. A state television channel in the Uzbek city of Namangan recently aired a program smearing Saipov as a provocateur who tried to destabilize Uzbekistan with his reporting. Several state publications ran similar articles, the same source told CPJ.
Following the Andijan killings, Uzbekistan has moved aggressively to expel, drive into exile, imprison, and harass independent jouranlsits, human rights defenders, opposition activists, representatives of international nongovernmental groups, and witnesses. Many found refuge in neighboring Kyrgyzstan, but Uzbek security services have infiltrated the area and continue harassing them there, according to human rights groups and local news reports. According to local press reports, Uzbek security agents have been spotted in the heavily ethnic-Uzbek city of Osh.
Saipov had helped scores of Uzbek refugees in southern Kyryzstan, assisting them with lodging and linking them with resettlement agencies, the AP said. He had also reported on the fate of Uzbek refugees in Iran for Ferghana, the news site said.
6 comments:
I am sorry to hear about Saipov’s death.
While describing Saipov’s activities, you state that “government troops shot at crowds of civilians protesting Karimov’s regime.” I apologize but I respectively disagree with you.
I think that the problem with information media is that it is a volatile aspect of communications since it informs and misinforms society. In Andijan’s case, what journalists did is that they were reporting everything what people were telling them without further research. In fact, most initial reports were based on interviews with family relatives of people who started protest against the government by storming prison, taking hostages and killing people. However, you dont mention it in your report. In fact, the protest was not based on solely socio-economic issues. It was organized against the arrest of 23 local businessmen who were charged with organizing illegal religious extremist group “Akramiya” (Amnesty International 2005; Human Rights Watch 2005; Polat 2007). So, the question is, “is information that those people give to journalists reliable?”
Texasjon,
I agree with you. You are right about the immediate causes of the Andijan events. Fundamental causes with a government as suppressive as Uzbekistan's are also very important.
However, the point of the CPJ's statement is to show Alisher's involvement in covering the Andijan events and how important his contribution was to understanding the events and informing the world about it.
And I think Alisher fell victim because he wanted to do "further research." He dug too deep.
I think Texasjon should understand that media and human rights organizations, including CPJ, will keep relying on witnesses' accounts until there is an independent investigation into the killing and repressions Uzbek regime initiated. I would also caution you from labeling one as extremist and citing human rights groups to support your statements.
Azamat, I agree with you on your point regarding regime in Uzbekistan.
The Post Soviet reforms on building a democratic society conflicts with bureaucratic left-overs from the Soviet era. So, it is explicable why journalists risk their lives by publishing reports to help people but they are more likely to aggravate the situation in the country if their stories are not supported by certain evidence.
For example, CPJ’s case: they purpose is to show Alisher’s involvement and contribution to Andijan events. However, their stating that government troops shot at crowds of civilians protesting Karimov’s regime may be just a statement but it may also cause having wrong assumptions of people who never heard of Andijan before; or, more frustrations of people who know exactly what happened in Andijan. I just think that they should be accountable for what they write and they should be explicit in what they write. Here, I am not supporting one side or another. I just want them to be fair and include details when writing about events that involve more than one version.
I was very upset to hear about Alisher's death. He is a victim of antagonistic relations...
Muzaffar,
I don’t understand why media and human rights organizations should rely on witnesses’ stories until an independent investigation. “Taking into consideration?” –Yes, I understand why media and human rights organizations should take into consideration what witnesses tell them until further research to be conducted.
Thank you for your recommendation on citation. Well, I had to cite “labeling one as extremist” because that label did not come from me. In fact, I included references to support a statement which had that label in it. I believe you know why people have to cite their sources.
Post a Comment